A young artist in Vadodara chases a foothold in the movie business, waiting for the one break that could change his life. His real journey turns out to be internal, about who he becomes while he waits rather than the fame he is after. The film sets that coming-of-age story against the crossroads and streets of his home city.
Bas Ek Chance is a film about waiting for the break that changes everything, which is fitting for a Gujarati industry that was still hunting its own breakthrough in 2015. Written, produced and directed by Kirtan Patel, it follows a young artist chasing a foothold in the movie business, and the story is really about the person he becomes while he waits rather than the fame he is chasing. Shot across Vadodara, at landmarks like Kala Ghoda and Genda Circle, it wears its home city openly.
The draw here is the ensemble. Aditya Kapadia and Bhakti Kubavat lead, but the film's steadiest asset is veteran Rajeev Mehta, whose supporting turn was singled out at the Transmedia Film Awards, where the film also took Best Film of the Year. Falguni Dave, Mushtaq Khan, Alpesh Dhakan and Mitra Gadhavi round out a cast that gives the modest drama more texture than its budget suggests. The soundtrack is unusually ambitious for the scale, pulling in playback names like Roop Kumar Rathod, Javed Ali and Parthiv Gohil, and even a rock reworking of a traditional Ranchhod chant.
It is an earnest, small film rather than a blockbuster, and it never pretends otherwise. The pacing sags where the script reaches for uplift, and viewers who want the sharp urban comedy that defined the year's hits will find this gentler and more sentimental. But taken on its own terms, as a coming-of-age story about persistence, it is sincere and watchable. An IMDb score just under seven reflects that fairly: not essential, but a decent watch for anyone tracking the films that filled out Gujarati cinema's comeback year.
Verdict
An earnest small-town coming-of-age drama, lifted by Rajeev Mehta and a surprisingly rich soundtrack.
What works
- Rajeev Mehta's award-noted supporting turn
- Ambitious soundtrack with big playback names
- Rooted, authentic Vadodara backdrop
- Sincere coming-of-age heart
What holds it back
- Pacing sags in the uplift stretches
- Small-budget scale is visible
- Sentimental where the year's hits were sharper
- Leads are relatively untested
Cast & crew
Writers: Kirtan Patel, Jay Bhatt
Music: Pranav Mahant, Nikhil Palkhar, Shailesh Solanki
Cast: Aditya Kapadia, Bhakti Kubavat, Rajeev Mehta, Falguni Dave, Mushtaq Khan, Alpesh Dhakan, Mitra Gadhavi, Hemang Dave
Producers: Kirtan Patel
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Kirtan Patel
More Drama Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Bas Ek Chance worth watching?
An earnest small-town coming-of-age drama, lifted by Rajeev Mehta and a surprisingly rich soundtrack. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Bas Ek Chance about?
A young artist in Vadodara chases a foothold in the movie business, waiting for the one break that could change his life. His real journey turns out to be internal, about who he becomes while he waits rather than the fame he is after. The film sets that coming-of-age story against the crossroads and streets of his home city.
What is the IMDb rating of Bas Ek Chance?
Bas Ek Chance (2015) holds an IMDb rating of 6.9 out of 10.